


Like Stars We Burn

by Dancing_Fox



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Anxiety triggers, Ardyn POV, Ardyn has a heart in there somewhere, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Established Noctis/Ignis, Eventual Happy Ending, Everyone Is Gay, Gladio is blatantly jealous, I swear, I'm writing this for my own enjoyment, M/M, Major Character Injury, Major Spoilers, Not that I have anything against those fics, One of the few Ardyn fics where he isn't a huge slimeball, POV Alternating, Potentially OOC character personalities, Prompto has Anxiety, Prompto is very confused, Ravus is secretly jealous, This just isn't one of them, What Have I Done, and yours too if you like, but it gets better, grazing over some of the canon badness of events, prompto fluff can save the world, prompto pov
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2018-01-27
Packaged: 2019-02-16 19:42:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13060845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dancing_Fox/pseuds/Dancing_Fox
Summary: I haven't written anything in a very long time, so I wanted-- no, NEEDED something to pull me out of my slump of writers' block. This is a "crack fic," written purely to get my creative juices flowing again while focusing on some of my favorite characters. I have no idea where this is going to go or if I'll finish it...so, if you hop on board, you're riding this crazy train along with me.This is raw and unbeta'ed, and my proofreading may be sloppy. Apologies in advance.There will likely be smut in this, so the rating may change as needed, but we'll see how it goes and what sort of feedback it produces.Anyhow.....!WARNING: There is a rather critical injury in this chapter, as well as some anxiety bursts, but DON'T PANIC. Contrary to popular belief, I don't enjoy hurting the bebes.





	1. Crash And Burn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't written anything in a very long time, so I wanted-- no, NEEDED something to pull me out of my slump of writers' block. This is a "crack fic," written purely to get my creative juices flowing again while focusing on some of my favorite characters. I have no idea where this is going to go or if I'll finish it...so, if you hop on board, you're riding this crazy train along with me. 
> 
> This is raw and unbeta'ed, and my proofreading may be sloppy. Apologies in advance. 
> 
> There will likely be smut in this, so the rating may change as needed, but we'll see how it goes and what sort of feedback it produces.
> 
> Anyhow.....!
> 
> WARNING: There is a rather critical injury in this chapter, as well as some anxiety bursts, but DON'T PANIC. Contrary to popular belief, I don't enjoy hurting the bebes.

**PROMPTO**

  
  
None of it made sense, really.

Come to think of it, few things ever did, when it came to Prompto. His mind tended to be more of a beautiful heap of disorganized chaos that only made sense to him, rather than something that could be sorted into any rational thoughts. His actions usually tended to reflect this, sometimes in the most reckless of manners.

This is how he found himself straddling the ventilation chimney on the roof of the old abandoned service station, the toes of his boots slipping against the rickety shingles while he balanced his camera in his line of sight. He could hear his nervous breaths in his own ears, even though he was trying as hard as he could to still them, or at least be as silent as possible. Every now and then a puff of steam would betray him by escaping from between his lips, a result from the cool chill of the night air and the breeze whipping at his cheeks.

If his friends were to see him, they’d have likely cried out in dismay, both for his lone wandering, as well as his compromising position. Fortunately, they were tucked inside the old forgotten diner, sleeping bags nestled into the musty booths that reeked of winded dirt and mold, but not so intensely to keep them from being grateful for a night’s sleep that wasn’t on the ground or in a tent.

Prompto couldn’t sleep, though. He’d plucked his camera from his bag and wandered out into the night. That’s when he’d heard it. A _mew_? At first he thought he’d been hearing things. It was probably the wind— then he’d heard it again and had been certain!

So here he sat, after having scaled the decomposing wall of the building, using it’s old meter piping as a makeshift ladder. In front of him, tucked away and nestled against a rusted aluminum heating duct, was a litter of three coeurl kittens. They were young, only a few weeks old, but already they were impressively grown, larger than a common house cat. Their long tendriled whiskers were forming, twitching with both alarm and interest as they stared at the blonde photographer.

He tried not to make a sound, not wanting to startle the little beasts more than he already had. They’d recoiled into a huddle when he popped his form up over the side of the roof, and that’s when he’d froze. They were tiny in comparison to their full grown size, but the fact of the matter was that their paws were already an enormous size and they undoubtedly had developed claws that could shred through him the moment they felt threatened. And more importantly, there was the ebbing concern as to where the mother had wandered off to. Surely she wouldn’t be gone too long, leaving her young unprotected.

Slower than he’d ever moved in his life, he raised the camera to look through the lens, using the light refraction of the moon to illuminate the shot, just enough. He’d climbed all the way up here, so he wasn’t leaving without a photograph to show for his efforts.

When the shutter clicked, one of the kittens hissed and Prompto tensed, bracing himself. A knot caught in his throat and he slowly lowered the camera. “H-heeey,” he whispered. “It’s alright, little guy…or girl. I’m not here to hurt you.”

The largest of the litter hissed again and began to skulk forward. It’s ears slicked back against it’s head and a low growl of warning rumbled in its throat.

That’s when Prompto panicked. “Easy, kitty! Y-you’re safe! I promise.” His foot slipped a little more as he moved to dismount his position from the metal chimney pipe. The coeurl growled louder as he moved abruptly.

 _Not good, not good!_ That was the only thought going through Prompto’s mind. He needed to get down. The rest of the kitten’s siblings were beginning to take interest now, channeling their bigger littermate’s courage into themselves as they too began to paw closer to where he was standing. Prompto didn’t know enough about coeurls to be able to distinguish if this was a territorial or a hunting form. Either way, it was _bad!_

Then it happened, almost quicker than he could recall. He gasped as he nearly lost his balance, an arm flailing to catch hold of something, namely the chimney. The largest creature yowled and lunged toward him. It didn’t make contact, stopping short in a protective stance between Prompto and the other kittens, but it was enough to make the blonde yelp in alarm. “Crap!” The shingle under his boot gave away and he tried to cry out as he fell, but the crack of the side of the roof against his head cut him short, dazing him and making him see stars.

In truth, he was almost thankful of the blow to his head, because it left him bewildered enough to lessen the painful impact with the ground, some twenty feet below where he’d been perched. What he _did_ feel was his back colliding with the rubble of battered and crumbled cinder blocks, literally knocking the air out of him. He wheezed for breath, but his lungs refused to expand. Panic started to build up.

He couldn’t move.

 _Shit, shit, shit!_ He stared up at the sky, his vision spotted with flashes of pain. It was starting to set in. He tried to moved his legs, but they wouldn’t respond, leaving him hitching a breath from the painful result. He slowly began to test his arms. His fingertips and elbows were mobile, minus the obvious twist of a sprain in the left wrist.

If he turned his head, he could see the diner where his friends were sleeping, oblivious to his crash. His panic increased as he debated screaming for them, hoping they would hear- but wait. There was a sound in the brush to right of him. Something was lurking. A daemon, possibly? Or one of the parent coeurls? He could hear his own pulse pounding in his ears, making him dizzy. Was he going to die here?

“No…” he whispered, closing his eyes. He couldn’t die yet. There was still too much they needed to do and Noct _needed_ him!

It took every ounce of willpower he had to stay calm, focusing on maintaining his stuttered breathing, keeping his eyes closed. He could still hear the whatever-it-was making its passage through the crackly  underbrush, but it either hadn’t noticed him or simply didn’t care to direct its attention to him.

That was fine. Prompto didn’t want to have to try and defend himself anyhow. Not when the pain was _really_ starting to settle in. It was right around then that he started to lose consciousness, drifting in and out of an almost sleeping state until everything finally went black around him.

 

~  *  ~  *  ~ 

 

“Prom? Guys! I found him!”

“What happened?! Prom! Get up!” That voice sounded an awful lot like Gladio, Prom thought. Was he still asleep? Why would he be dreaming about Gladio and…whoever the other person was. Noctis, maybe?

Someone was trying to move him. No, this wasn’t a dream.

“Do not move him! If he has injuries we will need to inspect them before you jostle him and potentially harm him further!”

 _I’m fine, Iggy. It’s alright, really._ Did he manage to say that out loud? He couldn’t tell if he had or not.

“Well, hurry up and inspect him then!”

Just as Prompto was wondering what they might be inspecting him for, he heard a noise that sounded like a small crunch of glass shattering, then everything felt…warm? Not in an unpleasant way. It was comfortable. And he was still so tired… Surely his friends wouldn’t mind if he slept for just a little bit longer.

 

~  *  ~  *  ~ 

 

Prompto had no way of knowing that he’d been unconscious to the world for nearly a solid day and a half before he finally began to stir. When his eyes cracked open, all he saw was that it was dark outside. _Still?_ He must not have been out that long. He wanted to laugh. Of course there’d been no reason to worry.

His vision finally came into focus, his eyes settled on the large pane window from the inside of the diner. There was a stiffness in his limps from sleeping on the booth seats. That was annoying. “Nnn, guys?”

Gladio’s deep and trumpeting voice made him realize that he had a splitting heading, causing him to grit his teeth as it echoed painfully through his skull. “Huh? Prom? Hey! He’s awake!”

The whirlwind that happened next was almost overwhelming. Suddenly, all three of his friends were right _there,_ in his face. Ignis’ hand was on his forehead as he was looking into his eyes. It took Prompto a few seconds to realized there was a concentrative look of concern on the other man’s face. Maybe he was checking his eyes? Noctis was hovering beside him, one of his hands coming to rest on the blonde’s shoulder. There was a distinctive crease in his forehead from worry. And then there was Gladio, a few steps behind Ignis, his hands balled into fists at his side. Unlike the other two, he looked _mad._ This was all too much, too fast…

He tried to recoil back from the touching, still attempting to get his bearing straight. “G-guys? What’s going on…?” His own voice made his headache flare up and he held back a wince.

Ignis’ face twisted into annoyance and he turned toward the other two. “Step back and give him space. Allow me to finish my examination.”

Gladio and Noctis slunk back a few footsteps, though there was obvious reluctance in their motions.

“Prompto, look at me.”

He did, centering his gaze on Ignis who was now facing him again.

“Follow my movements. And tell me, what are you feeling?”

“Um…” His brow furrowed as he watched Ignis’ finger, trying to concentrate on following its path with his eyes while Ignis looked him over. “I could go for a few pain killers, if you have any. My head is killing me. And my arm.” He glanced down as he mentioned it, then froze when he saw the splint that was strapped to it. No wonder it had felt so stiff. “Oh.”

“You have a concussion, “ Ignis proceeded to explain, annoyed that he’d lost his patient’s attention. “Among various other injuries. Tell me, can you move your feet?”

The question made Prompto realize just how sore the rest of him was. There was a shooting pain going up his shoulder from his spine as he tried to sit up a little more. He willed his legs to move so he might be able to stand up and stretch out, then frowned. He tried again, but all that his efforts left him with was another jolt of physical discomfort. “I-Iggy…?”

The older man must have seen his face drop and already knew the answer. “Prompto, please stay calm. You seem to have fallen quite a distance and landed in…a very troubling position.”

“Iggy, I can’t feel my legs.” Breathing suddenly felt more difficult. His head was pounding again.

“Prompto, breath.” There were hands on his shoulders as Ignis was looking at him sternly. “Stay focused.”

“Troubling?! He might be paralyzed or something and you’re just going with “troubling” as a description?!”

Paralyzed? “Wh-what…?”

Ignis’ jaw clenched. “Gladio! You’re not helping! Please maintain your outbursts or leave.”

Gladio stared daggers at Ignis, then cursed quietly under his breath before he stormed out of the abandoned diner. The door slammed behind him, hard enough that a few clouds of dust fell from the overhead lamp shades.

Once the shield of a man was gone, Ignis focused back on Prompto. “Prompto, stay calm. I daresay I am certain this is not a lasting injury. We will…work with this to aid you back to full mobility again.”

Noctis was beside him now, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. “Yeah, we’ve got you, Prom. Don’t worry.”

There was a lump in Prompto’s throat that he couldn’t seem to swallow. He stared at the door where Gladio had vanished to as the other’s spoke, only half hearing their words. He knew he’d fallen hard, and that was probably one of the most painful feelings he’d ever felt. He hadn’t expected it to be so critical, though. “But… I can’t help you like this.”

Noctis offered him what he was sure was meant to be a reassuring smile. “It’s alright, Prom. We don’t have anywhere we need to be, right away. We can stay here for a while. No major catastrophes until we get you back on your feet again.”

Alright. He could live with that. He wasn’t _happy_ about it, per say. He hated the idea of holding the crew of them back, just because of him. What other choice did he have, though? If he couldn’t walk, there wasn’t much he could do to aid their mission.

“Prompto?” Ignis’ voice cut through his mental cacophony and he blinked at him. “You were…on the roof, yes? What were you doing up there in the middle of the night?”

The blonde cringed, having expected this. There were being nice to him right now, practically coddling him, but he’d no doubt he would be lectured for his actions at some point later on down the road. “I…um… There were coeurls.”

Noctis raised a brow and Ignis just looked at him, still not quite understanding. “Coeurls?”  

Prompto nodded and lowered his gaze. “There was a litter of them. Up on the roof. I… I was trying to get a picture of them.”

The silence that hung in the air after that, if only for a few seconds, was nearly deafening. Finally, Ignis stood up straighter and sighed the heaviest sigh that Prompto had ever heard. When he glanced to Noctis, though, he saw the other looking away, his shoulders shaking just slightly, and Prompto knew he was laughing.


	2. Man Of No Consequence

 

**ARDYN**

 

 

Ardyn was not a simple man.

He was impulsive and acted spontaneously on his drive for revenge and its accompanying emotions that eternally plagued him, but all of it had a very finite procedure. Through every act, there was a reaction. From every reaction there was an effect. The goal was to keep that inevitable effect within his own realm of favor. Unfortunately, sometimes that was easier said than accomplished.

Right now, however, his actions _were_ very simple. Scouting, as Ravus would call it. Or recon, by the terminology of most generals. To Ardyn, it was simply _watching._

He remained in the shadows, tucked back into the cloak of night as he followed Noctis and his companions through their travels. It wasn’t a burdensome task, truth be told. He actually quite enjoyed it, finding himself continuously entertained and surprised by the dynamics of the friendship between the four adventuring men.

Noctis, he decided, was an enigma. It did not take an untrained eye to realize that there was far more to the young man than could meet the common eye, but Ardyn was already _well_ aware of that, able to relate quite personally to him. He could recite novels on his opinion of dear Noctis, if he wished.

The one named Ignis was also a puzzle, catering to every one of Noctis’ whims like he were a child. It was something Ardyn would have originally found fault in, laughing at the man’s incessant need to coddle and nurture the little kingling, but after observing them, he saw the deeper levels to it. It was not only that of a sense of duty, but more of a protective stance. There was a fire in the older boy’s eyes, one that dared anyone to come close to the being he seemed to treat as a beloved. Ardyn understood, he cared for Noctis because he did not trust anyone else to do so, sufficiently. It was the flavor of concern and worry that could spoil to paranoia in the incident that they might accidentally be parted either in combat or any other disastrous situation. Ardyn would need to remember that, should such a thing be of benefit to him, later on.

Then there was the Amicitia boy, Gladio, just as bold and broad as his father had been, taking his role of the king’s sworn Shield quite seriously- which Ardyn admired, at least. It was a very important role, though the muscled youth obviously had much to learn, yet. Too often he would wander off in tempered moods and leave his companions on their own, not that Ardyn believed the other three were defenseless, but it was quite an irresponsible maneuver when he was supposed to be tasked with their protections. Again, this was something he would need to keep in mind for future tactical planning, should it come to such.

Lastly, there was the young blonde. At first, Ardyn would have entirely looked him over as an individual of little concern, but the way the king’s Shield always seemed to be fawning over him when he wasn’t looking amused him. If the years had taught Ardyn anything as a fond observer of cultural routine, it was to recognize that look of pining and longing. Quite hilariously, it seemed the smaller man, Prompto, happened to be completely oblivious to the other one’s hidden desires.  

It intrigued Ardyn, leaving him wondering what could be so unique and special about the jubilant boy that someone so important would crave for him.

So he looked closer.

He followed them for several days, tailing along behind them, unseen. Once or twice he suspected one of them would sense his presence and pause to observe their surroundings, but there was nothing for them to see.

The gunner seemed to be the high-spirit of the lot, making the other three laugh when the moods grew tiresome or tense. Often times he had a smile on his face, cracking jokes and acting foolish for reaction, sometimes at the expense of himself.

Frankly, after several days, Prompto was becoming the only one of the crew that didn’t bore Ardyn. In a sense, that was a very dangerous thing... Those who caught Ardyn Izunia’s attention were not easily forgotten.

It was actually somewhat difficult at times, not to interfere. Especially when one of the group, frequently the largest of them, Gladio, would make some commentary or criticize Prompto’s jokes and habits. Ardyn was certainly aware that it was never meant with malicious intent, but it fueled some irritation in him when he watched the younger one laugh it off, then turn away to frown when no one could see. Oh, how he tried, but sometimes it was fruitless.

_How dare they upset that fascinating little ray of sunshine…_

As it turned out, Ardyn was watching as Prompto had emerged from the diner in the middle of the night. Snapping out of his thoughts, he glanced over from where he was rested in the grass beneath a tree, arms propped behind his head while he had been taking some time to muse over the current happenings.

He gave a near inaudible “hmm” to himself as his eyes followed the other’s climbing path up the side of the building. Of _course_ Ardyn knew the coeurls were up there, he had immediately spotted them hours ago, and the thought that the blonde must have realized that as well nearly made him chuckle in delight. Of _course_ he would want to go and investigate. It was both reckless as well as twistedly endearing. He sat by in silence, watching with an awkward fascination.

Then it had happened. He barely had time to move to his feet before he saw Prompto fall from the roof. “Oh dear,” he whispered quietly, moving closer. He stayed concealed in the bushes surrounding the old service station. For a fleeting moment, he was torn. His attention was focused on the unmoving body, debating. Yes, the boy may have been one of Noctis’ companions, but that did not mean he wanted to see him perish. No, if that was going to happen to any of them, it would be by his own hand, not a misstep of a reckless endeavor.

His mind made up, he began to progress forward. That’s when Ardyn heard it, too. He froze in place and glanced over his shoulder. Of _course_ , nothing could ever be simple.

In the distance, the mother coeurl was approaching, undoubtedly having heard the ruckus and was now curious of the well-being of her kittens.

Sighing silently, Ardyn slipped back into the shadows and began to stride toward the beast. He was nearly certain that a full grown female coeurl with a litter of kittens to feed would be absolutely gleeful at finding the body of an unconscious boy practically at her doorstep. That just wouldn’t do…

“Shoo,” he hissed, waving his hands as he closed in on her, as if she were a household pest. “Go on, now. That one is not for you, dear mother.”

The coeurl growled deeply, the fur on the back of her neck bristling. She was an impressively large beast, even bigger than some of the ones Ardyn had seen used in the militia. He was not afraid, however.

“Oh, you hold your tongue, madam. I would make quick work of you, but that would certainly be upsetting to the young man who just risked his life for a photograph of your offspring, yes?”

Obviously, the coeurl did not understand a word of what he was saying. Her warning growl turned into a snarl and she sprang at him, crawls bared for the strike.

“Oh, how bothersome…” The purple-hued glow shot from Ardyn’s palm as it unfurled toward the animal with just the impact he’d intended. Her feline yowl was loud enough that from the edge of his vision, Ardyn saw the lights flick on over in the diner, the generator beside it kicking to life with a mechanical him.  Surely it would only be a moment or so longer before the group realized their cheerful comrade was missing.

Ardyn crept further back, watching from his safe distance as the overhang of the tree cloaked him in disguise. As predicted, a very short amount of time passed before he saw the crew spill out into the chill of the night.

“Prom? Guys! I found him!”

“Hmm,” Ardyn murmured, nearly silent, to the raven-haired youth who he knew couldn’t hear him from where he stood. “And still in one piece. You are most welcome, Noct. No thanks to you.”

Beside him, the addressed coeurl mother was coming out of her stupor and wobbling back onto her feet.

“No, no... Down, girl. Not yet.” With a swish of his hand, the beast fell back to the ground, still very much in tact and unharmed, but completely immobilized.

It wasn’t until Ardyn watched the three men carrying their friend back into the safety of the diner that he released his hold over the animal. “There you are. Run along, now. Go and tend to your children.”

As if she did understand this time, the coeurl stared at Ardyn with a glimmer in her eyes, temporarily tamed into submission. With one exhaled that might have come off as annoyed, were she not simply a beast, she slunk backward a few paces, then tore off through the night, springing up onto the roof to inspect her litter of excited kittens.

The Chancellor’s focus drifted then, his feet carrying closer toward the diner. He knew it was a risk, as anyone who took the time to peer out the oversized windows could likely make out his silhouette in the glow of the lights that poured from them. He also knew that was unlikely to happen, however. Amber eyes watched as they fussed over their fallen friend, darting here and there to gather the necessary medical supplies to aid and heal him as best they could. Ardyn could tell from the frustrated expression on the one called Ignis’ face that it wasn’t going as smoothly as intended.

This was certainly going to make things interesting, he thought as he adjusted his hat on his head. Perhaps he would hover by and watch them just a bit longer to see how this panned out…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! We've have a beginning pace! Chapters will be longer from this point onward. :)  
> I know this one was short, but Ardyn POV is either one extreme or the other.  
> If you're actually reading this, then thank you for hanging around!
> 
> Note: No coeurls were harmed in the making of this.


	3. Dreams Fight With Machines

**PROMPTO**

It was probably two hours after Prompto had awoken that the discomfort from his fall finally started to settle in. Whatever pain bumper of a draught Iggy had forced him to drink-- and it had been _gross_ \--was finally wearing off.

It was about forty-five minutes after the rest of the guys had taken off to go about their assigned daily tasks that Prompto’s pain became almost unbearable.

He whined to himself in a low pitch as he laid on the bedroll, staring up at the water-stained ceiling of the old diner. Ignis had been hesitant to leave Prompto by himself, and even Gladio had asked him at least three different times if he was certain when he assured them that he would be fine. It was highly unlikely that any strangers or unexpected travelers would be crossing through the area, interest piqued enough to make them stop and check inside. And even if they opted to do so, the likelihood  of them being any threat to him was minimal. Plus, he still had his gun. He wasn’t _entirely_ helpless. But… He was still no help to the other three while still in this state, and he couldn’t fathom the concept of dragging them away from their needed routines. There were supplies to be ordered, food to be purchased, hunts to complete… They would have to do all of that without him, for now. In the mean time, he would just…stay here.

It started in his arm, first. Underneath the splint, Prompto could feel the burn of wrenched bone pressing into swollen muscle. It began in mild pestering waves, but eventually it radiated wider and further to a deep ache that shot tremors all through his upper body if he moved even the slightest bit; unfortunately, that counted for breathing in anything more than shallow gulps. This, combined with the throbbing headache that was building from stabbing sensations along his spine, was the very definition of misery, as far as Prompto was concerned.

His eyes closed as he tried to stray his thoughts to something else to distract himself from the pain. Somewhere in the diner, a pipe was leaking. He could hear the distant _‘plip… plip…’_ as each droplet landed on a surface inevitably coated in a puddle from years of maintenance neglect. He tried to focus on that and nothing else. For a while, it almost worked. _Almost._

One of those horrible side effects from the dripping was that it made him realize just how thirsty he was. He knew there was a cooler about five feet from his booth that Ignis usually kept stocked with cold bottles of water, but right now that five feet may as well have been more like five hundred. He wouldn’t hold it against him, though. His friends had done everything they could to make him comfortable, including Gladio’s blatant destruction of one of the booths-- that had made Ignis almost yelp in surprise when the pressed wood had splintered from the wall-- to construct a temporary bed, of sorts, the tabletop propped flush between the booth seats on top of milk crates that Noctis had found in the back room. He was currently curled up on it, nestled comfortably in his sleeping bag and on top of Gladio’s bedroll, which he had insisted Prompto take, regardless of his objecting. It wasn’t the worst of comforts…aside from the dry feeling of his throat.

After ten long minutes of willing himself to finally move, Prompto used his good arm to try and push himself into a sitting position. He immediately regretted it as jolts of pain shot through his entire body, making him cry out and gasp. He fell back and covered his hand over his face, seeing white flashes behind his eyelids, even after he’d shut them. “Shit…”  

“Is there a problem, little one?”

Through his distraction, Prompto hadn’t even heard anyone else enter the diner. He startled and tried to sit up again, but all that he managed was an undignified grunt of pain before his back hit the bedroll once more. Then he froze, his face paling. “Wha- what are _you_ doing in here?!”

Ardyn smiled with his faux charm at the blonde, the footfalls of his boots only audible from the accumulations of dirt and dust beneath their soles. Leaning down, he reached into the cooler and took out one of the bottles of water, condensation and melted ice dripping down the sides of it. He closed the lid with a soft click, then slowly stepped over to where Prompto was resting.

It was reflex, of course, the way Prompto’s gun materialized into his shaking hands. The muzzle was pointed directly at the other man within seconds, his trigger finger ready. “Stop! Don’t come and closer!”

Surprisingly, Ardyn did stop, but his smile still played on his lips. “Come, now. Do I appear to be armed?” He cautiously raised both hands in a gesture of surrender, the one still holding the plastic bottle. When his assailant did nothing, that hand slowly moved to extend the drink to him. “Was this what you were after? Allow me, will you?”

Prompto stared at the Chancellor, waiting and wondering what sort of trick could be behind this. It _had_ to be a trick, right? His eyes narrowed and he finally moved the gun, pointing it toward the ceiling, but not making it vanish, in a silent acknowledgement. Damn him and his unavoidable curiosity...

Satisfied enough, Ardyn smiled wider now that the weapon was no longer aimed directly toward him. “Splendid. That’s much better.” Stepping nearer, he moved to sit down on the side of the makeshift bed while offering the water to Prompto.

When the wood creaked under the other man’s added weight, it took everything in Prompto’s power not to recoil up against the wall. If he hadn’t been in so much pain and been so thirsty... “Uh… Thanks.” Hesitantly, he took the bottle, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end as his fingers brushed Ardyn’s. “But seriously, what are you doing in here? I wouldn’t try anything if I were you! The guys are on their way back and are gonna’ be walking in at any second!” Of course, he had no idea if they were, or even if they would still be gone for minutes or hours, but he wasn’t about to tell Ardyn that.    

“As I said,” the older man said in that velvet-laced tone of his. “I am unarmed. I have no intentions to harm you.” He _‘tsked’_ softly, looking Prompto over in a way that made the gunslinger incredibly uncomfortable. “My, my. What a situation you’ve found yourself in. Were you being reckless?”

Prompto’s eyes averted as a flicker of shame bloomed in him. “Um. Yeah, I guess so. That’s not too unusual for me, though. It’s just that…there were coeurls…and…” He paused, wondering why he was even telling Ardyn any of this. “I’ll be fine. Another day or two and I’ll be back up and kicking your butt if you keep getting in our way!” He laughed, just to show that he was jesting. Sort of. It came out uneasy and more wobbly than he’d preferred, however.

“Hmm.” The muffled sound was the only response that came from Ardyn as something of a pensive look crossed his features. When his hand reached out, Prompto froze, unsure of what to do.

“Hey-!” Suddenly, he couldn’t move. His heart pounded. The purple glow that emanated from Ardyn’s fingertips had placed full immobility on him. All he could do was stare as panic rushed in. How could hw have fallen for this? _‘You idiot!’_ he thought to himself. _‘You dumb naïve idiot!’_

Honestly, he already had been having a hard time moving, so he didn’t even see the point to the magic if Ardyn planned to kill him, right here and now. His gun fell from his hand since he no longer had the ability to grip onto it, landing with a thud on the bedroll beneath him. His pulse pounded harder as he waited for the attack.

But it never came.

Warmth suddenly rushed over him, enveloping his entire being, and his breath hitched. Everything instantly felt _right._ Somehow, either by strength or by allowance, his eyes drifted closed. The magic coiled through him, as if were seeking for something. He felt it singing in his arms and in his back. Even in his…legs? He could feel his legs. He wanted to laugh, his chest suddenly feeling lighter, like the weight of the world had been lifted off of it. He could literally _feel_ himself glowing.

When his eyes opened again, they drifted to Ardyn. His palm was on Prompto’s shoulder and his eyes were shut, a look of concentration on his face, brow creasing in his focus. There was a golden shimmer swirling between them, tinted with glimmers of pale green. Was he… _healing him_?

“Ardyn?” He whispered in a hushed tone. The constricting magic that had been keeping him still was now gone, replaced with one of mending.

He had no idea how long they remained in that position together, but just as quickly at the warmth had come, it dissipated. This time there was no pain left behind, however. The blonde gasped in surprise as he lifted his arm, violet hues staring. It didn’t hurt. “Did you just..?” He didn’t even complete his question before he was nearly tearing off the splint. He felt amazing! All of his pain was _gone_! “You did!” He wiggled his toes and nearly cried in joy.  

The other man just smiled, though less so than before, moving to stand from the bed. He started toward the door and Prompto balked. “Wait!”

He was up in an instant, though he admittedly had to pause for a couple seconds to regain his footing, his legs protesting slightly from nearly an entire day of lethargy. It passed quickly and he rushed over, grabbing ahold of Ardyn’s arm. “You healed me! I didn’t even know you could-- why?!”

Ardyn’s head tilted, his eyes refusing to meet Prompto’s. He seemed to be thinking carefully on how to answer that statement. Finally, he looked at him, his charming demeanor radiating over him once again. “I like a challenge. What fun would it be if you were powerless to give me a test of my abilities, should that day come?”

Prompto gawked at him, then frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “Dude. You’re saying you fixed me just so I can _fight_ you? That’s ridiculous!”

He chuckled deeply, turning away again. “Yes, I suppose it is, isn’t it? Unless you can come up with a more logical answer, then we’ll leave it at that. Good day, Prompto. Do tell Noctis I said hello, will you?”

Just like that, he was gone, sweeping out of the diner with his casual pace, as if what had just happened were a common every day occurrence for him. It wasn’t, though. Even Prompto knew that.

 

 

\+    *    +    *    +    *    +    *    +

 

 

“This is completely illogical.” Ignis frowned as he patted his hands over Prompto’s arm for the fifth time in the last ten minutes. “I see no sensible reason why he would do such a thing.”

“Yeah, me neither,” Prompto laughed, unnerved. “But hey, he did, so…”

Gladio was pacing, fuming so hard that no one probably would have been surprised if steam started gushing from his ears. “I knew we shouldn’t have left you here alone!”

“Gladio, I’m _fine._ Heck, I’m better than fine!”

He stopped pacing and looked at Prompto, eyes dark and piercing. “But what if you hadn’t been? What if that asshole would have tried something!”

Noctis butted between them before anyone else could say anything more, resting a hand on his Shield’s chest. “He didn’t, though. Look, I know this is suspicious, and we’re going to have to figure it out later, but…come on. Prompto’s better now. Let’s be happy about that for a while, alright?”

Ignis just hummed in agreement and began his third check on Prompto’s legs.

“Yeah. Thanks, Noct.” Prompto smiled at his best friend. If anyone would understand this, it would be him. Noctis knew what it was like to be demobilized from an injury. Granted, Prompto had only been in that state for a day, but the expression that passed between them next was enough to tell him that he understood.

Gladio’s hands clenched and unclenched repeatedly, as if the urge to hit something was eating at him. In defeat, he huffed, but his voice was still more of a growl. “Fine. I want all those doors locked, though. And someone keeping an eye out at all times! And we’re out of here tomorrow, because if someone decides to send a fleet after us or some shit, we’re screwed. He obviously knew exactly where we were, so he’s probably not the only one.”

This was something they could all at least agree on, unanimously. One more night here, then they’d hit the road again.

Ignis finally relinquished Prompto’s body of its overanalyzing inspections and stood. “If that’s settled for the moment, shall we have some dinner? I believe I could make that stove in the back function properly enough to prepare the fish you caught today.” His gaze fell on Noctis, who seemed to smile with pride, but shrugged anyhow.

“Sure. Just don’t cover it in green stuff.”

 Prompto laughed jubilantly as Ignis sighed in exasperation. This was good. This was what he was used to. At least things had returned to normal. For now.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is already becoming something more than I intended for it to be.  
> Why does that always happen?  
> Anyhow, if you'd come this far, then thank you! I hope you're enjoying it! Feel free to let me know!


	4. Inside My Head Like Adversaries

**ARDYN**

 

“Are you even listening to what I am telling you?”

A maroon brow arched as Ardyn idly swirled the tea around in his cup. The contents had long since gone cold, but he hadn’t noticed, nor had he cared. “Hmm? No, forgive me. What was it you were babbling about?”  

Ravus stared at Ardyn incredulously, then huffed a quiet sigh that was blatantly lathered in exasperation. “I am trying to discuss our current situation with you regarding the placement of our troops along the assigned roadblocks and you are…daydreaming. _Again_.”

Oh. Perhaps he was. The cup raised to the Chancellor’s lips and he made a distasteful expression as he finally realized the warmth was gone from the tea. The cup was placed on the table beside his chair as his gaze drifted again to the window where the curtains had been drawn.

It had been nearly three weeks since Ardyn had walked from the diner without looking back. He hadn’t encountered any of the crew in the time that had passed, immersing himself in the plans that would bring fruitation to his end goals, though he was regularly receiving updates on the young kingling and his companions. It wasn’t for lack of wondering, though. He often found himself contemplating what the lot could be doing. Probably something reckless, no doubt. Or possibly just Prompto. Was it perhaps the little blonde that had the ability to always drag them into their exciting predicaments? He certainly seemed to be persuasive enough…

“Ardyn…”

Once more, he snapped out of his mental meanderings and looked toward the other man. “Ah, my apologies, Ravus. I do not seem to be myself, today.”

Ravus’ lips pursed to a tight line. “A state that has been happening more and more frequently, it would seem.”

With that, Ardyn’s usual demeanor returned. He smiled far too brightly and turned on his heel. “Oh, come now, Ravus. Surely you cannot expect even myself to take the monotonous weight of our glorious plan in such easy strides? Ah, but it is a duty that I must partake.” He crossed the room and patted Ravus on the shoulder in an act that felt borderline patronizing. “Now, you were informing me of our strategic maneuvers, yes?”

“That is correct.” Ravus’ expression was still neutral, unmoving as a rock, even though he seemed to subtly recoil from the other’s touch.

“You are intelligent enough to know what we must do to succeed. I will leave such tactics in your hands.”

At that, Ravus balked, looking at Ardyn with legitimate surprise. “I… You do not wish to consult our plans beforehand? Even if they are evasive ones?”

Ardyn tapped a finger to his chin in a gesture of faux thoughtfulness, humming quietly. “No. I trust you to make the most beneficial decisions for us. Can you handle this responsibility?”

His heterochromia gaze lowered to the floor for a brief second, then Ravus simply nodded, once. “Yes. Of course.”

“Marvelous!” The Chancellor waved a hand in the air as if dismissing him. “Run along and do that now, if you will?”

Ravus seemed to hesitate, then bobbed his head in a nod once more. He turned toward the door, then paused. “Oh. And the royal band has been tracked along the path around the Disc, if you are wondering of their whereabouts.”

Ardyn froze as his interest piqued. “The Disc of Cauthess? What, pray tell, could they be doing there? Oh, I wonder.”

Ravus’ eyes rolled so hard that Ardyn half expected him to fall over. “Sight-seeing, apparently.”

“Sight-seeing?”

“That is correct. As if they have nothing better to be doing.”

It made sense to Ardyn, actually. And somewhere in the back of his mind, he couldn’t help but wonder if this, like most other things he questioned, was the little gunslinger’s idea. After all, he did enjoy taking photographs, and this would be a prime chance to do so. The crystals along the crater glowed so beautifully and were breath-taking even to an eye that saw them a million times prior.

Perhaps this would be an ample opportunity for him to pay a visit to his unsuspecting “friends.” If anything, the look on their faces would make it all worth it. He was sure they had questions for him, as well.

“You’re doing it again…”

Ardyn looked up as the sound of Ravus’ voice broke his thoughts. “Pardon?”

“Daydreaming.” Ravus frowned, slightly. “You are thinking about going to them, aren’t you?”

Of course Ravus would immediately sort out his body language and expressions to come to the proper conclusion. There was a reason he was such a talented General and gifted with the ability to read people. Ardyn was not surprised, per say, but certainly impressed. “Oh dear, am I that obvious?” He smiled and picked up his hat, setting it on its proper place on his head.   

“Are you sure that’s wise?”

No, he wasn’t sure. Truthfully, Ardyn was very much aware that it was unnecessary and pointless. He wasn’t about to let on to this, however. “Now, now. I will not doubt your methods if you do not question mine. Do we have an understanding?” As if to accentuate his statement, he raised a hand and lightly patted Ravus on the cheek, continuing to smile, all the while.

Ardyn was also a remarkably talented individual at reading people, but even still, his head tilted slightly as he watched Ravus veer away, an expression on his face that even the accursed Chancellor could not decipher. The other man simply turned and left the room without rebuttal, leaving Ardyn standing there, wondering what that could have been about.

  

~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~

 

“Hey, great shot!”

Prompto’s eyes lit up, the corners of his smile reaching his cheeks from the praise. “Really? Yeah, I guess it’s not bad.”

“You kidding? It’s fantastic. And I look pretty nice in it, too.” Gladio slapped Prompto on the back in a move that was clearly meant in affection, but the sheer strength of him made the younger man wobble forward a few steps.

Ardyn’s eyes narrowed. Something protective in him glimmered and he attempted in vain to ignore it.

It was almost infuriating, watching to two skirt around one another. The Chancellor couldn’t tell if the blonde was truly oblivious to the Shield’s flirtations, or if he merely was choosing not to acknowledge them in kind. Part of him secretly hoped for the latter. He couldn’t fathom why he came to this preference, though.

It had to have been a solid hour before the Shield finally left the area, headed for the diner at the front of the chocobo post. For a brief moment, Ardyn expected Prompto to follow. Instead, he seemed to hesitate, turning back to the scenic view in front of him. It really did look quite glorious against the setting sun.

“ _Kweh?”_

Ardyn startled, his head turning to see the very large chocobo to his right. It’s head tilted as it gawked at him with a curious blink.

“Shoo!” He hissed, waving a hand. “I have nothing for you. Begone now!”

“ _Kweh!”_

It’s wings flapped as it chirped louder, clearly unapproving of it’s suggested dismissal.

“Is someone over there?”

Ardyn froze. His hiding place had clearly been exposed. He passed a disgruntled look to the giant bird, then put his smile on, stepping out from behind the tree. “Ah, I suppose you could say that!”

Prompto’s whole form went still, his eyes locked on Ardyn. “Wh-what are you doing here?”

Taking a chance, he stepped closer. “Oh, I was merely curious how you were fairing. Is it so unusual for someone to keep check on his patient?”

Prompto’s eyes lowered, a hint of red scattering over his cheeks. He was obviously a bit embarrassed at the memory of the previously mentioned situation. “Well, no. I guess not.” He glanced behind himself, assumedly looking for the others. They were nowhere to be seen. “I’m fine, though. So you really shouldn’t have bothered.”

 “Wonderful!” Another step closer. He saw the gunslinger tense and went no further. He didn’t want him to run off, after all.

“Sure.” He eyed Ardyn more suspiciously now, his hands clutching tighter to his camera which was strapped around his neck. “But seriously, dude? You came all the way here, just to ask me how I’m feeling? I don’t buy it.”

“No?” He feigned a frown, averting his eyes. “Pity…” He stayed quiet for a moment, then turned to expose more of his back to him, a direct sign that he was giving some vulnerability to the other man.

The chocobo trilled again and headbutted against Prompto’s shoulder, seeking some form of attention. He laughed and petted on the head. “Hey! It’s okay, buddy. You want some scritches?”

Ardyn looked over to watch as Prompto vigorously ruffled the feathers of the beast who was clearly enjoying it. He knew he was staring now, but he also couldn’t be bothered to care.

“Seriously though,” the blonde finally continued. “Why are you here? And don’t tell me you’re just looking to admire the view, because I won’t believe that either.”

“Oh? Perhaps that is not far from the truth, however. It _is_ a lovely sight.” The words slipped out of Ardyn’s mouth before he could even realize what he said. He cleared his throat and began to walk down the hill in front of him.  

“What?” Prompto went rigid again, watching Ardyn. When he received no answer, he looked around for his peers one more time…then began to follow after him. “Hey! Don’t just walk away like that.”

Ardyn said nothing, puzzling over his own thoughts as he continued to walk, then finally came to a half at the edge of the hillside. The ground was just slightly sloped and had a clear view of the glowing lights of the crater. It was also comfortably out view of the outpost. He sat down in the grass, somehow making the action seem almost elegant.

After shifting on the balls of his feet, uncertainty blatant in his posture, Prompto finally sat down beside him. “Hey… I mean, I could be wrong. But did…you just low-key hit on me?”

His jaw clenched, but he chuckled very quietly, staring off at nothing in particular. “Is that how you wish to take my words?”

“Huh? No! I mean…” Prompto’s face twisted, his foot tapping anxiously. “I just… Thanks, if you did? That’s all, I guess.”

Ardyn finally looked over now, his eyes meeting Prompto’s as his brows arched with a glimmer of surprise. “You would thank me for such?”

His shoulders shrugged as he began to relax a bit. “Yeah, I guess. I mean, it would be kind of nice. Just as a compliment, that is.”

Head tilting, Ardyn observed the man beside him. He was staring at the grass with a faint furrow in his brow. While he was sure the gunslinger did well to mask his true feelings toward the word, there was an openness to him, at this moment. He could read longing in his gestures, as well as a hope, of sorts. As much as he may have wanted to, which wasn’t much, admittedly, Ardyn could not bring himself to crush the man’s spirits. “Perhaps I was, then.”  

“Really?” Prompto’s eyes lit up, but then dimmed, just as quickly, his frown returning. “Are you sure about that? I mean, look at the others. They deserve those kinds of compliments more than I do."

Ardyn was perplexed now. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, come on.” He laughed, but there was an uneasy tone to it. “Have you even seen them? I mean, they get all the attention, all the time. Noct has his dark mysteriousness, Iggy’s so smart and mellow, and Gladio looks like a muscleman model. I’m just…well…me. I don’t get those kinds of compliments.”

So there it was. The sudden spill of emotions left Ardyn momentarily speechless. It also sparked that protective and possessive light in him until it was nearly burning. He found himself wanting nothing more than to make this little ray of sunlight realize how brilliant and important he really was. “Nonsense,” he scoffed. “You shine in your own manners. And those who cannot see that are truly fools.”

“Uh… Y- you think so?”

“Undeniably.” He took off his hat, fingertips playing with the brim in an idle motion before he reached over and sat it atop Prompto’s head. “You are like a beacon. Wherever you are, light seems to follow. Your lot would be lost without you to guide them through their perils.”

Prompto flinched when the hat was plopped on him, but the words halted any protest he seemed prepared to make. “What? I… No. I don’t lead them. I follow. That’s what I am. I’m a follower.”

Ardyn shook his head, looking at him with a sincere expression. “My dear little sunshine, you are anything but a follower. Following is more than simply walking a pace behind your peers. You are the source of their morale. And that, quite frankly, it a very powerful ability to have.”

“That’s not true.” Prompto’s eyes dropped again, his face hidden under the hat. “I mean, yeah, it is, but it’s not. That’s not me that does that. The guys would be fine without me. And eventually they’re gonna’ realize that, then…”

He trailed off and Ardyn found himself moving closer. “Enough of this.” A hand rose and he hooked a finger beneath Prompto’s chin, raising it to look at him once more. “I have seen the power you wield in one single smile. Your laughter and high spirits are contagious, even if you do not see them as such. Radiating souls such as yours are so very rare, these days. The most dreadful thing I can imagine if for it to be burnt out be your own self doubt.”

Prompto’s cheeks glowed, his eyes locked on Ardyn’s in a way that showed he was listening to every word he said. His voice whispered. “How can you know all that? I mean… We don’t _actually_ know each other...”

“And I am finding myself wishing to remedy that, more and more.”

It was an honest truth, one that Ardyn both found himself annoyed with, as well as intrigued by. He leaned in closer, reaching up the nudge the brim of the hat higher, but then stilled, wondering if he had crossed any imaginary boundaries. What was he doing? This was inappropriate, even for himself. Sure his emotions had simply gotten the best of him. There was no calculated method or certainty to this. No, this was unacceptable.

Prompto’s breath hitched as Ardyn leaned closer, and at that moment all of his thoughts drifted away, He waited for the blonde to push him back, something he surely expected as the other’s hand rose to rest on his chest. There was no force, however. He parted his lips to speak, but his words were abruptly silenced.

Prompto met him halfway and there was a gentle and uncertain kiss rested on his lips.    

Ardyn’s eyes widened, then drifted closed as he tilted into the delicate affection. No, there was no reason to rush this. This was beautiful. Truthfully, Ardyn’s mind was reeling the entire time, right up until Prompto finally leaned back.

“I…” he murmured. “I don’t know why I did that.”

“Because you wanted to,” Ardyn replied with a soft smile. “And I am grateful that you did.”

Prompto was quiet as he looked over Ardyn’s face, seeking some sort of answer to a question only known to him. Swallowing nervously, he spoke almost timidly. “Could we do that again?”

“Oh, but of course.”

There was less hesitation this time as their lips met again. If sunlight had a taste, then Ardyn decided it must be Prompto. His mind spun, but he ignored it. For now, nothing mattered to him but this very moment…     
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we gooooooooo~! 
> 
> If you're enjoying, feel free to come bother me on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/dancingfox). <3
> 
> Again, I apologize if there are any typos in this. It's unbeta-ed and kinda' raw.


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